Giuseppe Orlando’s Placement Report

During my placement, I gained new practical experience in field ecology and bioacoustics through the deployment of passive acoustic recorders alongside traditional in-person surveys to monitor Tawny Owls. This activity involved collecting and comparing acoustic data from both methods, as well as recording owl calls and examining how detectability varies with distance and environmental conditions. By doing this placement, I developed new skills in fieldwork planning and improved analytical skills through processing and analysing acoustic data.

This work contributed to the development of a report forming the basis of a potential protocol for owl surveys using acoustic recorders. The findings highlighted the potential of passive acoustic monitoring as a more efficient and scalable alternative to traditional in-person surveys for nocturnal raptor monitoring. This approach could support wider volunteer participation by enhancing opportunities for citizen science within schemes such as the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme or similar initiatives. In addition, the acoustic dataset that I compiled during the placement may provide a valuable resource for future BTO projects.